Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-12-06
John Jacob Aston the Fourth.

stir in high social circles was made bv
last weeks debut Of John Jacob Astor the
Fourth. He is the orlS con of William As.
tor, who at present divides the Astor mil
lions equally with John Jacob Aston the
Third. His enormous financial importance
can be imagined. He is just from gradua.
ton at Harvard. ard bis advent in bis par.
ticular coterie was made at very formal
dinner given by his mother. The signi6
emphasized by the fact that eight girls
eligible to matrmony with him, were among
the guests. They were the Misses Nav
Brady, daughter of Judge Brady; Miss
Hewitt, daughter of Mayor Hewitt Miss
Winslow, debutante beauty from Albany
Charlotte Winthrop, representative Of
Boston culture Belle Wilson, sister-in.aw
of Mrs Orme Astor-Wison Miss Papet
Miss Barley and Miss Turnure. Toe fan,
GUS service of.solid gold, costing hundred
thousand dollars, was used on this great &C
casion, and the bcs;ess wore diamonds CT
still larger value. There were seats y
table for about hundred John Jaro,,
Astor the Fourth sat at the right hand If
| Mrs. Astor. He wore q swalloW-tail Goa.
very low vest. and black trousers OF mafy.
| ously perfect 6t, for he has since early Youth
been remarkable for careful cos umiug II.
| is tall, lean and big boned, lacking in The
solid. Englishy appearance OF his father
His features are irregular, the nose being in
dicative of power rather than beauty. la
short he Is far from beog handsome
young man. His age is twenty. He wiz
not enter upon any other career than that q
millionaire. He will neither go into bust.
ness or profession. His attachments ste
ordinary, but he is quite able to figure as 4
society beau, and as such he will participate
In all of the six exclusively swell balls TO
occur at Delmonico's, in December. Sche.
ming mothers will keep their eyes on him,
and apt daughters will not neglect their
chances to win such a prize. John Jacob
Astor the Fourth would be the possessor of
not less than eighty millions if he were to.
inherit his fathers half of the Astor estate
to. morrow. The whole of that enormous
fortune, as estimated by real estate expert.
now amounts to Sl60000,000; but tbs
calculation is largely guesswoIk, for The
property ia all in houses and land, in New
York city, the actual value of which could
only be fixed by sale. The policy of the
Astors has always been to invest thL accu
| mutations of their wealth in vacant lots.
Thus the steady rise in values has tremer
dousy ENLARGED their riches, and the at
thority already quoted says that if appreci-
| alton goes on for another quarter O: q cen.
| fury as it has during the last the Astors can
hardly help getting into tho twentieth
century with S250,0O0, 900. A correspond
ent made bis way, yesterday, from
the outer TO the inner Office of the Astor
brothers. The building looks like a bank,
with many clerks and other hindrances to a
personal interview with either William or
John Jacob the Third 1t was only br as
sorting important business that the pr eserce
of William Aston was gained.
"And what can do for you, sir ?p he in.
qured.
II would like to know fer publication !"
was the reply, how mrch your son, John
Jacob, will probably Inherit
If the pause which preceded the answer
was occupied by mental arithmetic the cal
culation came TO nothing, for what Mr.. AZ.
tor said was, John Jacob will not be likely
to livs in poorhouse"